


Tremors In My Bones

by whatthefridge



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Barebacking, Canon Compliant, Choking, Extremely Dubious Consent, Hate Sex, M/M, Rough Sex, Top!Stiles, bottom!theo, dom!stiles, masochist!theo, stiles lacks self-control, theo lacks self-awareness, theo needs to get rough fucked 2k18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-07 00:55:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15897606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatthefridge/pseuds/whatthefridge
Summary: Theo will do whatever it takes to have a pack worthy of him, and if that means stealing Stiles from under Scott, well, Stiles is already doing most of the work for that on his own





	Tremors In My Bones

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lua](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lua/gifts).



> This was created for the _We Heart Stiles Rares 2018_ exchange, with my chosen prompt being: "i would love something focusing on why theo was so obsessed with stiles in canon or it could be pwp or anything based on their interactions in canon."
> 
> I've been meaning to write some rough hate sex Steo for a while now. It was a fun challenge to weave the smut into actual canon.
> 
> A million billion thanks to my two beta readers, [Endraking](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Endraking/works) and [DemonzDust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonzDust/works), for helping me fine tune Theo's voice and figure out wtf his actual motivations were in 5A. If readers come away from this fic thinking "Theo you complicated bitch," then I did my job.
> 
> I never named a fic after song lyrics before, and it's ironic that I'm doing it now considering I mostly listen to EDM/Dubstep these days. Anyway, the song is [Tremors (feat. Go Comet!) by Botnek](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnOUttJTEw8).  
> \--

Theo couldn't help memorizing the distinct odor of Stiles's banged up Jeep, with its layers of duct tape, gasoline, and pine air freshener. They'd been sitting here for hours with Stiles silently staring at the video feed of Josh's body, his own body in a constant thrum of nerves that not even boredom could break.

Theo kept his own senses on alert as he gazed out at the animal clinic, which saw far more than just injured animals these days.

For once, he didn't have a clue about who was responsible for the mayhem. They weren't working with the Dread Doctors, and the Doctors considered the body theft 'inconsequential.' As far as they were concerned it was conveniently cleaning up the messes left from their failed experiments. 

But it wasn't inconsequential to Theo.

He'd been their first, something impossible that they'd achieved—the start of their unrealized dream. 

He just hadn't been perfection. 

The Doctors had run their numbers and assigned Theo's worth: neither a success nor a failure, allowed to stay alive as long as he wasn't in the way… as long as he maintained his usefulness in helping them achieve their final objective.

The revival of the Beast approaching quicker than ever these days, which meant Theo was on his way to becoming expendable.

He needed a pack. A strong one. The Dread Doctors were pushing closer to their goal, and they weren't letting Theo keep any of the chimeras for himself.

Without a pack, Theo was a deadmeat omega.

No, worse. A cheap knock-off of an omega.

When he heard that Scott—a name he hadn't let himself think about in years—had taken down Deucalion and broken the Argents, well, it was an opportunity too good to pass up. 

Scott was an Alpha now, and not just any Alpha either. The more Theo learned about him, the more of a devoted fan he became.

Everyone in Scott's pack even smelled a bit like him. He could use a pack led by someone surrounded by loyal friends who'd go through any length to protect one another.

Theo needed to find out who was taking the bodies. And that meant watching Josh's body with Stiles, bonding in the silence of the Jeep. 

Stiles obviously trusted him enough to do this, even if he'd never admit it.

"You still wondering why I haven't said anything to Scott?" Theo asked wryly. He loved the smell of conflict in Stiles's scent.

"Maybe," Stiles hedged.

"You think I've got some kind of ulterior motive?"

"More than likely."

"Would you believe me if I said all I want… all I've ever wanted… is for you guys to trust me?"

"Nope."

"So you're here because you're never going to trust me?"

"Yup. Glad we had this talk."

The loyalty was strongest in Stiles. Theo was pretty sure Scott and Stiles shared clothes too, since they were always close like that. Even back in fourth grade, Theo could never touch the level of closeness those two held.

"You know who you remind me of?" Theo asked.

Stiles sighed as he narrowed his eyes. "Theo, I don't care."

"My sister." Stiles looked away. "She was smarter than everyone too. And a pain in the ass like you. But she always looked out for me. The same way you look out for Scott."

She'd been Theo's world, and the Doctors found use in that. They'd promised they'd give Theo her whole heart, and they'd fulfilled it in their very special way.

He'd watched Tara die thinking it was a dream. He got used to lucid dreams around the Doctors. It was only afterward, when she was gone forever, that he'd realized all the dreams were real.

His eyes watered as he told Stiles exactly what Stiles could find in Tara's police record. 

"And when I found her," he said, "all I could think was that I should've known. That I should've been looking out for her."

"Why are you telling me this?" Stiles hissed.

"I'm telling you because even if you don't trust me and even if you don't like me, I'm still going to be looking out for you, the way I should have been looking out for her."

Donovan proved what Theo suspected, that Stiles still harbored the darkness of the void inside himself. He hadn't expected Josh to be the one to attack Stiles, but knew it was his way in when it did. Theo had saved Stiles's life. Not only that, but he'd shown Stiles what he was too afraid to admit he wanted—violent retribution, the blood of his enemies on his hands.

Anything Theo lost that day with Tara, he replaced with power. He became something stronger. Better. But he needed a pack if he was going to keep any of it because the Doctors were moving on.

There was value in this late-night stake out beyond catching a thief.

Theo pat Stiles's thigh. "I mean it."

Stiles gaped down at him like he expected claws to come out.

Theo took his hand back. "How are things with Malia?" he changed tracks. They had the time, and he was going to use every drop of it.

"If you have to know, things are great. Perfect, in fact. We're in relationship bliss."

"It's okay if you're going through a rough patch."

Stiles side-eyed him. "I don't need relationship advice from a guy whose only relationship has been with himself in the mirror."

"Ouch," Theo said with a smile. "At least I'm not afraid to admit when I'm pent up." 

Liam and Hayden were overflowing with volatile passion, but Stiles and Malia? Theo knew when he saw a dried up well.

He'd assumed Malia would take his bait. She was a werecoyote like him, and her instincts told her to trust him. All he needed was to give her one good orgasm, and she'd be his. But Malia's sex drive was as unpredictable as her regular driving, and right now, it was steering toward a deadend with her murderous mother standing at its destination.

"Do you know what the human brain looks like after an orgasm?" Theo asked. When he received no answer, he continued. "It looks like it does when under the affects of heroine."

Stiles's side-eye turned into a glower. "Yeah, well, that's why sex addiction is a thing."

"But did you know it's a cocktail of chemicals that's proven to reduce anxiety?"

"Anxiety can be a good thing too. Like hyper vigilance when a guy is trying to get into your pants during a stakeout."

Theo smirked at Stiles's poignant observation. It wouldn't be as much fun otherwise. 

"Is that what you think I'm doing right now?" he teased. "Weren't you the one who wanted to spend some _quality_ time with me?"

A flush crept up Stiles's neck. "You have a twisted view of quality."

"It doesn't have to mean anything." Theo's hand returned to Stiles's lap. The conflicted expression in Stiles's features was everything as Theo slid his hand up higher. "You definitely don't have to owe me anything. I just want to help."

Stiles's voice strained as he gripped Theo's wrist. "I think you've helped enough already."

"What are you more afraid of? That that Malia will get upset… or that you'll catch feelings for me?" He could feel everything falling into place as he flicked at the button of Stiles's jeans. "Because I can _assure_ you, she'd be more than willing to join the fun."

"Fun," Stiles repeated under his breath. "That's just what we need now. More _fun_. And what if someone arrives to collect the body during this so-called 'fun'?"

"Sounds like a challenge, don't you think? What's the worst that could happen? You enjoy yourself for a bit?"

Stiles grunted without disagreeing, his angry arousal smelling better by the second. "You know what," he finally said as he undid his zipper. "You owe me for all the trouble you've been causing. Do it. See how it means _nothing_ to me."

Theo savored how easy this was. "Oh, I'll make it worth your while."

He licked his palm slowly as he caught Stiles's gross fascination. Stiles's semi-hard cock was malleable in his hand, blood running hot beneath the silky skin. He kept the strokes light at first, giving Stiles's cock time to fatten and grow until the foreskin unveiled a deep red tip stained in precum.

The rest of Stiles's body was just as stiff, his gaze fixated on the video screen like he refused to acknowledge anything happening below the belt. If Theo wasn't able to hear the shallow breathing, he'd have assumed Stiles was holding his breath.

"Is this okay?" Theo asked. He didn't need the affirmation, but people were easier to manage when they felt like he cared.

 

#

 

Stiles bit his lip to hold in a building moan. 

He needed Theo to speed things up, but Theo's hand was rough against his sensitive skin, the building friction only increasing the burn. And he hated himself too much to make this stop. 

"Why are you holding back?" he asked.

A stupid shit-eating grin spread across Theo's face. "Didn't want to overwhelm you. It's your first time with another guy, yeah?"

Stiles couldn't help but snort. "You think me and Scott haven't experimented? I know every little thing that gets Scott off—and he knows mine." 

That wiped the smug expression right off of Theo. Sure, Stiles hadn't done anything with Scott that would have saved him from a virgin sacrifice, but they _had_ done stuff back in freshman year, back before either of them had any hopes of a dating life. Stiles's then-five year plan with Lydia had involved not being a complete novice in bed.

"Well," Stiles gestured down to his dick. "You gonna keep gaping or are we gonna finish this?"

Theo's expression twisted into something devious as he leaned over.

Before Stiles could even get intelligible words out, Theo's lips were wrapped around his cock. Stiles gasped as he gripped the back of Theo's head, digging his nails into the werewolf's skin. Theo let out a pleased noise and swallowed down deeper. 

That was one way to solve the lube problem.

Stiles's eyes rolled back at how warm and wet Theo's mouth was. This wasn't this guy's first time giving a blowjob—nor his second. Not with the way Theo bobbed his head and used his tongue in precise motions. 

Stiles bucked his hips, thrusting his cock up Theo's throat, and Theo took him without a single gag, like there was nothing Stiles could do to ever truly ruffle him.

Stiles hated him.

Hated him so much.

He growled as he pushed Theo's head down, forcing Theo to take his entire length. He kept him there as he pumped his hips, refusing to allow Theo back up for air.

Only after he shot his load into Theo's throat did he give up his white knuckle grip.

Theo coughed as he sat upright, wiping his mouth on his sleeve as he smiled. "Well, you don't smell like anxiety anymore."

Stiles tucked himself back into his jeans. Even if he smelled like Theo after this, it didn't matter. He was already set on a doomed path, and this was nothing in the long run. "No, I just smell _fucked_."

"Aren't you glad I didn't bite, though?" Theo bated his eyelashes almost innocently.

Stiles shook his head. "Yes. That's the bare minimum I'd like to expect from a blowjob."

"You know, I saw his teeth… Donovan."

That was the last thing Stiles wanted to be reminded of post-orgasm, but this was Theo. And Stiles would be more upset at sincere pillow talk than whatever this was.

"He was a, uh… Wendigo, wasn't he?" Theo went on.

"Yeah."

"That's the cannibal one, right?"

Stiles licked his lips as he returned his full attention to the video screen. Theo wasn't going to let it drop, so Stiles resigned himself to plain facts. "Native American. The myth says that if you ate human flesh, your punishment was to turn into a creature that constantly craved it."

Theo sat back, crossing his arms. "That's a pretty judgmental myth."

"Well, I didn't make it up," Stiles snapped.

"What if it was the only way to survive? I mean, you ever hear of the Donner party? I'm pretty sure they didn't turn into Wendigos."

"Well, they didn't live in Beacon Hills."

"Good point," Theo mumbled as he shook his head. "So what's the punishment for killing a Chimera?"

"You spend five hours in the car with Theo Raeken," Stiles let out in resignation, ignoring Theo's chuckle. His gaze fell away to the window. Everything he'd done had led him here, and there was no turning back on this highway to hell with Theo in the passenger seat. "I know what my punishment is. I'm gonna lose my best friend. I'm gonna lose Scott."

 

#

 

When Theo called Stiles over for a study session, he knew Stiles wouldn't refuse an opportunity to dig up more clues to Theo's deception.

Theo's house was newly purchased since he'd just moved back into town. A quaint brick house with a sloping roof and chimney for the fireplace. If Stiles started snooping through the numerous unpacked boxes littering the rooms and hallways, he'd only find an overabundance of knick-knacks, chosen specifically to imitate those found on television shows full of regular teenagers with their regular parents.

And while the kitchen was bare, some fine china was already set out in the living room, coupled with the aroma of meatloaf and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies to really make the place _homey_.

Theo's own trained parents were meant to be idyllic, when they weren't fucking up legal documents. He hadn't exactly _wanted_ to break his hired father's hand just to absolve himself of suspicion. But that was the only way to objectively explain the two sets of signatures without needing the Doctors to intervene.

The way the Doctors _fixed_ things didn't always align with Theo's liking.

Theo buried his anger with a smile as he guided Stiles to his room where he'd put up a photo of him and Scott from third grade, hanging by his bed in a metal frame like a totem while the rest of the walls remained bare. He allowed himself to reminisce about those old days, the buried pain worth the budding jealousy and disdain in Stiles.

Theo had liked being able to hug Scott and the rest of the pack like he belonged. 

He'd just finished 'saving' Liam and Hayden from the Doctors, and no matter what doubts there'd been about Theo, he'd proven himself loyal by saving each and every one of the lives in Scott's pack. 

Meanwhile, Scott was breaking down from self-loathing and doubt, enough to give into desperation and go against his own morals, violating Corey's mind for breadcrumbs of information. Instead of saving his first beta, he'd run around in circles for hours. And now he hugged Theo back, forced to acknowledge that Theo managed to achieve more than him.

Theo was indispensable while Scott had become an ouroboros, consuming himself until he was no more. 

Yet Scott remained infuriatingly un-corruptible. Even when pushed to act recklessly, Scott only did so to fulfill a promise to a loved one. He'd never betray his ideals. And he'd never fall in line with Theo.

Scott was unsalvageable, his death increasingly unavoidable. 

But mourning was for other people. 

If the True Alpha was beaten, then it was only right for the first Beta to usurp that power. And once that happened, Theo could extract that power for himself and take his proper place in the pack, as their leader and Alpha.

Scott's best friend was more keen on Theo's perspective anyway. Donovan had proven that Stiles still had the void alive and well inside him. Why else would Stiles damn himself when it'd clearly been justifiable homicide? 

Even if Scott _wanted_ to forgive Stiles, Stiles had already primed himself to be rejected, defining a True Alpha by their unwillingness to kill _anyone_ , regardless of self-defense.

Theo wouldn't ever give Stiles that dilemma. 

The world was a cruel place, and Theo had thought the True Alpha would understand that. But no. Scott was merciful and idealistic. Theo was a fool for ever idolizing him.

What better way to get back at Scott for failing him than by destroying everything he cared for, starting with the last shreds of his friendship with Stiles.

"It's easy when you're Scott," Theo said, perching on the edge of his wood-top desk. "Not everyone can be a True Alpha, though. Some of us have to get our hands dirty."

Stiles had remained standing by the bed as he narrowed his eyes cynically. "You really think he doesn't?"

"I think a good leader knows when the people he cares about are hurting." He nodded his head in the direction of Stiles's shoulder. "How's that bite Donovan left on you?"

"How do you know he bit me?" Stiles said even as his hand went to rub the spot.

"I can smell the scabs. Let me see it." 

Stiles huffed but reluctantly pulled back his shirt.

"Christ," Theo expressed in fake shock. "Good thing it's not going to turn you into a wendigo, huh?"

"Who knows? But if I start getting a sudden urge for human flesh, I know who I'm eating first."

Theo let out a grin. "You can eat me all night long if you promise not to swallow."

Stiles cocked his head as his eye narrowed in disbelief. "I'm starting to suspect you have a _thing_ for cannibalism."

Theo wasn't sure what he had a thing for. He wasn't even used to physical contact with other people. Stiles had no way of knowing Theo's entire sexual experience came from the toys he'd fashioned for himself out of the Dread Doctor's scrap materials.

"What's the matter, Stiles? Can't handle a little innocent dirty talk?"

Stiles scoffed. "Nothing about you is innocent."

"Is that judgement I hear? I didn't miss the way you enjoyed suffocating me on your cock the other night. I wouldn't exactly call that innocent either."

Stiles licked his lips and looked away. "You weren't exactly _trying_ to stop me."

"I wasn't." Theo closed the space between them, his smile growing as Stiles's defenses wavered. "You're also a lot stronger than you let on. I wonder what else you're capable of when you're not holding back."

 

#

 

This was a trap. Stiles just knew it. 

"I made a mistake," he replied.

"Whatever it was, I couldn't help noticing that you enjoyed it."

Fuck, Theo had him there.

"I'm just saying," Theo went on, "These walls are thick enough to muffle most loud noises, in case you were worried."

Stiles didn't need to wonder where Theo was going with this. "You think I'm just going to fuck you? Just like that?"

Theo leaned in a bit closer, his breath brushing Stiles's cheek. "You don't _have_ to do anything. The prep work's already done. But—" he took a step back. "I get it. You're worried about what Scott would think. Not to mention Malia. I wouldn't want anyone to think I took advantage of your goodwill as a way to gain a place in the pack."

Stiles wasn't about to mention how much he'd been avoiding Scott lately. And he didn't miss the way Malia had started avoiding _him_ , though maybe it was just Malia caught up in her own secrets, looking for her deadly mother behind Scott's back. Either way, the only nosy person left was Lydia, and she didn't have the sort of nose to catch Theo on him.

Stiles grabbed the hem of Theo's shirt collar before Theo could take another step back. The way Theo had _saved_ him from Josh didn't change the fact that he'd saved him. And then Theo saved him _again_ from the burning overturned Jeep after Parrish took Josh's body. Whatever trap Theo was laying down, he sure had a thing for protecting Stiles.

To use him for something.

For this?

"You're a piece of shit, Theo." He pulled Theo toward the bed. "Take your clothes off."

"You sure?" Theo asked in a cautious way. "I don't want you feeling like I made you do this."

Stiles almost laughed at the absurdity. "What's an orgasm between two crime buddies? Doesn't mean anything, right? Come on, stop acting like you don't want it. You sure wanted it last time."

He watched in fascination as Theo strip off his shirt. Last time he had this sort of power over a guy, he was making Derek get topless in order to blackmail Danny. Theo wasn't exactly a beefcake like Derek—or Danny, for that matter—but the gym rat was close. 

Stiles clenched and unclenched his fists, well aware he had to be permeating the air with his wrath and lust. It didn't stop Theo, though, who only glanced at him before pushing his pants down his hips, revealing an ass and thighs that put a single word in Stiles's mind… 'ripe.'

There was no way in hell Theo didn't know his _assets_.

What were the chances that he'd fucked Malia already? Or Lydia? _Or Scott?_ Stiles wouldn't put it past Theo to fuck his way into the pack, one person at a time, regardless of whether they were dating.

But, no, Theo couldn't possibly be this easy to crack.

Theo wanted into the pack, and Stiles was the only person left who was against it—assuming he was even still in the pack after Scott discovered what happened with Donovan. Theo seemed to believe Scott was capable seeing the best in Stiles's intentions, but killing Donovan felt _good_ , and only guilty people felt good about committing murder.

Theo had to have felt good killing Josh too. Even if Stiles couldn't explain why Theo's eyes were still golden, that didn't mean they weren't both damned.

What did it matter if they fucked after all?

Stiles shoved Theo face-first onto the mattress with Theo's pants still around his ankles. He didn't miss the way Theo's erection only hardened at the brute force. 

He didn't bother with his clothes as he straddled Theo's thighs and got out his cock. He parted Theo's ass cheeks to find a stretched and lubed hole waiting for him. What were the chances Theo also used an enema? 

Stiles hated how he was playing right into Theo's hand. He should be better than this, but nothing about Theo brought out the best in him.

"Like what you see?" Theo asked casually.

"Looks aren't everything."

Stiles lined up his cock with Theo's hole before slamming his full length inside, the muscles parting for him in spite of the need for more lube. He groaned as Theo squeezed down, squirming a bit and exhaling hard.

"Fuck," Theo panted. "Fuck, that's… different."

Stiles rolled his eyes as he started pumping his hips. The firm grip Theo's ass had on him gave just the right amount of friction to keep reminding Stiles of who he was inside. But once he stopped caring, it became easier to pretend he was just using a very elaborate fleshlight.

"Harder," Theo moaned, arching his back as he gripped the sheets. "I can take more than Malia and Scott combined."

Stiles growled at hearing their names from that mouth at a time like this. His hand flew to Theo's throat, clamping around it and yanking Theo's head up. 

Theo squeaked out Stiles's name as Stiles squeezed harder, adrenaline rushing through his veins and down to his cock. In the back of Stiles's head, he knew this was wrong. He was getting off on rutting into Theo while Theo wasn't fighting back, could even be on the verge of erotic asphyxiation. 

If Theo _really_ wanted it to stop, he could use his superhuman strength. But Theo wasn't even trying to pry him off as Stiles sped up his pace, his thrusts starting to rock the bed. Theo could just as easily be getting weakened by the lack of air. 

Maybe it was only right that Theo's life end this way, a proper price for all the trouble he'd put Stiles through. With all the blood on Stiles's hands already, what was another death?

It would definitely foil whatever trap Theo had waiting for him at the end of this. 

Stiles grunted as his orgasm ripped through him, releasing his vice grip on Theo's throat. Theo rasped as his body convulsed along with his ass, milking Stiles for all he's worth. 

Stiles had no plans to bask in the afterglow as he crawled off and found himself some tissues. He noted the wet spot under Theo and the way Theo was almost as confused by it as he was. There clearly wasn't any need to worry for Theo's sake.

"See you same time tomorrow," he said unapologetically, zipping himself up and heading for the door.

A trickle of come streaked Theo's thigh as he coughed and rubbed the spot under his chin Stiles had held tight. His voice was barely there when he replied. "That make me your booty call now?"

"Someone's gotta keep on top of your lying ass."

 

#

 

Theo was impressed by the sheer number of ways Stiles found to fuck him in the next five days. 

Stiles kept going to just the edge of what Theo could take, just enough for the void to peek through the cracks. And Theo couldn't stop coming at the very thought of the void finally breaking past Stiles's defenses, taking its proper place in that body that held Theo in violent ways. 

Theo especially prided himself on smelling more like Stiles than Scott did when he crossed paths with Scott at the vet clinic. 

Scott had just finished cleaning up, and his morose mood was stronger than any anti-septic when Theo asked him what was wrong.

Scott didn't skimp on any details as he unloaded on the only person left in his pack who'd listen.

"Something's changed," Scott said. "And I think it's because of me. And I don't know how to fix it."

That was the problem with Scott. He was a bag of underutilized power, bound by stupid morals, who couldn't even begin to fathom the wasted potential in seeing the best in people. Stiles was meant for the darkness, as was the rest of his pack. It's why Malia sought out her mother and why Kira's fox was taking over. Lydia was attracted to death, and Liam was a walking time bomb.

They were all crumbling under the pressure of trying to stop the Dread Doctors under Scott's rule, including Scott himself.

Scott clutched his inhaler. "I know something's coming. And all I can think about is how good am I going to be if I can't even breathe?"

Theo wanted to tell him to just enjoy the ride. "You sound like you're trying to apologize."

"You came back looking for an Alpha. I guess I'm sorry that you found me."

"I'm not sorry."

Scott tilted his head, confused yet touched. "You still want to be part of the pack?"

Theo needed to take everything that was Scott and make it his own. "Scott, I'm with you. For better or worse."

"Trust me. There's gonna be worse."

Theo grinned. Scott's intuition was at least on point. "I'm counting on it."

Scott didn't know the Doctors like Theo did. And once Theo could spur Liam to properly steal that True Alpha spark, Theo could take them down himself. The first Beta was already thoroughly distrustful of Scott being able to protect Hayden from the Doctors, and if Hayden died before Theo could bring him over to his side, it'd be all for nothing.

The Doctor's operating theater had a main overhanging lamp, currently being directed at another dead chimera. 

"I need more time," Theo urged, standing by the stairs to avoid the puddle of mercury-laced blood pooling under the operating table. The coppery tang in the air was coupled with the deceptively sweet and nutty fragrance of the regenerative green serum that the Geneticist was busy injecting the Surgeon with. An additional machine in the back room sent off its electrical sparks, sporadically flooding everything in bright white. "Are you listening to me? I said I need more time."

He rarely demanded anything from them; he used to even believe they knew best for him. But Stiles had just finished fucking his ass so raw that he'd bled, and it felt even better after basically hearing Scott admit defeat. If there was a time to stand up to the Doctors, now was it. 

"Perigee-syzygy," the Surgeon replied like he wasn't even paying attention.

The Geneticist turned to Theo. "The supermoon," she clarified. "We'll know at the perigee-syzygy."

Meaning less than a day for Theo to complete his own plans. "But what about Hayden?"

The Surgeon looked down at his healthy arm. "Failure."

"Not to me."

"Failure compromises the experiment pool."

And Scott's failures compromised Theo. 

He had to rid himself of any lingering sentiments toward the Alpha if he was going to prove the Doctors wrong in their assessment of him. He'd show them he could be even more perfect than the Beast they were trying to resurrect.

"I kept Scott out of your way," he pressed as the room flickered. "I did everything you wanted. Now, I need Hayden alive."

The Surgeon looked on toward his papers. "Inconsequential."

"You promised me a pack," he grit out. He could have had the chimeras. Instead he had to glean from Scott's pack like some beggar. 

"We promised you nothing."

Theo had to be his own Doctor, doing experiments to bring out everyone's monsters. If Scott wasn't so goddamn pure, maybe Theo could have a use for him as well. But he could make do. He didn't have a choice. So why did it hurt when he thought about his plans going through? 

"I need her alive!" he shouted, regretting it almost immediately.

There was an eerie click as all three Doctors turned to face him, the strobing lights alternating between overexposing their silhouettes and putting them in complete shadow.

Theo took a step back as his heart jumped into his throat, bringing with it flashes of experiments on him—nightmares that he never wanted revealed to be true. Not even Stiles could ever make him feel as small and fragile.

"Only until the perigee-syzygy," the Surgeon said in a final warning.

That's how long Theo had left to get his pack together and kick whatever doubts were left.

 

#

 

Running in circles wasn't Stiles's ideal way to spend free period, but the alternative was succeeding in finding the Nemeton and the bodies it was littered with.

The sun was high in the sky as bird chirped, blissfully ignorant to human dilemmas.

"It's almost like this thing doesn't want to be found," he said.

"Maybe it knows we're late for class," Lydia said with a tilt of her head. "Because we've been here twice."

Stiles touched his hand to the tree with two Xs chalk drawn on it. "Crap."

"Can we talk to Parrish _now_?"

Stiles thought Lydia being a banshee would help. He didn't want Parrish involved, and, if he was being truly honest, he didn't like how Lydia was spending all the rest of her free time with Parrish these days. 

"You're the Banshee," Stiles said. "You find the bodies."

Lydia was fed up with seeing no progress. "Well, the Banshee's having an off day, so how about we talk to Parrish?"

"We can't."

"Why not?"

Stiles should tell her about Donovan, who was still considered on the run. "Because one of the bodies… One of them…" How much longer could he hold in the secret? "One of them could be…"

Lydia furrowed her brows. "Could be what?"

Finding Donovan would start an investigation. "One of them could be a _clue_ …" to finding Stiles guilty of murder.

Lydia nodded, her patience having reached its end. "I'm leaving now, Stiles," she remarked. "I'm going to talk to Parrish and tell him he's the one taking the bodies."

Stiles bit his lip as she walked away, doing one last turn to add in exasperation, "It's always better when they know."

Was it?

The question hammered in Stiles's head as he left the Preserve.

The late bell rang just as Stiles parked his Jeep. As always, Theo waited for him in the parking lot, wanting to be the first to hear any news from the search.

They entered the library in a hurry.

"You guys are _sure_ that's where Parrish is taking the bodies?" Theo asked once Stiles was done griping about Lydia. 

"Lydia says that's what happens in his dream."

"I mean, you know if Lydia finds the Nemeton, she's also going to find Donovan…"

Stiles stopped in his tracks, leering at Theo who glanced out into the busy library, full of people quietly going on with their lives in spite of death hanging in the air.

"Sorry," Theo said, lowering his voice.

Stiles wouldn't have minded fucking Theo against the table there and then just to get his frustrations out, give the people something to remember besides classmates constantly dying. "She's also going to find Josh." Who everyone believed was taken down by the Doctors, something a pair of animal claws would disprove.

Theo's wide gaze dropped to the floor. "You know what, maybe she should."

Stiles couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I think things are different now for Scott," Theo whispered. "Especially after what he did to Corey. I don't think he's going to blame us for defending ourselves. I know he won't blame you."

Stiles wanted to believe it—that definitely sounded like Scott. But this was Theo he was dealing with, and everything was different now. The secrets had become bigger.

His vision drifted to behind him where he saw a dead body. Himself. Impaled on the same metal beam as Donovan, blood and mercury pouring out of him. He blinked, and the image was gone.

He was a human failure on borrowed time. 

The only choice he had left was what he would do with it.

#END#

**Author's Note:**

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> And Twitter: [@adrianfridge](https://twitter.com/adrianfridge)  
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